Change of Plan
by Mansynthe
Summary: Puck will win Meghan's heart, no matter what it takes, unless his masochistic desires were to get in the way of that. Mild violence, some gore, but nothing too bad. Canceled. Read What If She Stayed, instead.  It's for Ash and Puck lovers, alike.
1. A Glimpse into the Future

**AN;** _I do not claim to own any of these characters, as they belong to Julie Kagawa (as much as I'd like to claim Puck). Any way, since I know I am not the only Puck-lover out there, I figured I would write an alternate ending. It will be around 12 chapters minimum, including the most important parts (like Puck's confession, Ash dancing with Meghan the first time, and things like that, as well as dramatic damsel in distress scenes) starting from when she first entered the Nevernever. Don't like it? Deal with it. No offense to Ash lovers, he is a good character. I simply think that those who love Puck deserve some, well, Puck! So, without further ado, here is the first chapter._

Note: So I don't confuse anyone, we are starting with a flash forward. Ash has just exiled himself to the human realm. There will be an entire chapter revealing, later on, how it built up to this moment. The next chapter starts the real story, from the beginning. This chapter is simply to lure you into reading the rest ... Muahahahaaa!

* * *

The atmosphere around us was heavy. Everyone held their breath as they waited for my answer. My eyes scanned the anxious crowd who had been in a full blown war with one another a few moments ago. I looked to my left and saw the red, tattered, rotting door that I nearly went through, oblivious that I was going to be saying goodbye to everything. I would never again see anyone here and I had come to love all these people, even though they were a neuscence most of the time. A lot of people had layed their lives on the line for me and I was about to walk away from that.

I glanced back over my shoulder and saw my best friend who was almost in tears. Pain gripped my heart, squeezing it tight, making me want to cry when I saw him. Without thinking, I almost instantly ran to him, but looked up at Oberon and saw his calm expression. He seemed to be quickly losing his patience with me, as was the Queen on the other side of the field.

As I was turning to Puck I was surprised to find that he was already behind me. The look on his face said he refused to let me go. That did it, I couldn't stand here looking at him and just walk away knowing he would be crushed if I left him for good. I looked up at the King to see if I could possibly read his emotions. My attempt was useless, but he was giving off those I'm-pissed-beyond-belief vibes. His last nerve was unraveling quickly. I opened my mouth to speak, but a thought struck me. If I stayed here, Mab would declare a war over the loss of her last son. If I refused to follow him, what he did would have been for nothing.

Ash had been my side when no one else was. If it wasn't for him I don't know if I ever would have been able to kill Machina and save everyone the first time (let alone _this_ time). If Ash hadn't been on my side by now, he would have killed me. Or even worse, he would have killed _Puck_. The thought made me want to disappear. I didn't like thinking about it, but there was no doubt that I would rip his beautiful head from his neck if he ever so much as thought about hurting my best friend.

On the other hand, if I left, the Iron Fey would take over. They would _need_ me back at some point. I was the only one who could help them destroy the iron kingdom and regain piece in their Courts. I could still go to him and tell him that I did not love him. I knew it would make him furious, but he needed to know that I was not Ariella and I never would be. I could never take her place in his heart.

He seemed to want her back so badly he chose to love _me_ even though I had nothing in common with this girl, besides the fact that my hair looked similar to hers and we were both stubborn. At this realization I was surprised that I wasn't even crying. I didn't love him. The person I loved was right here beside me. I was about to be exiled and he was with me. I was stunned for a moment. How could I have been so blind? He had confessed his love for me and I brushed him off. Now my heart was really torn.

I could stay and be with the one I truley loved. Then Mab would be furious. She would declare that the Summer and Winter courts were at war with another because I was a seductress or something along those lines. The thought annoyed me. Having so many people chasing me, being in over my head with _no_ easy way out, and knowing I had ignored the one who truly loved me all this time was really getting to me.

With a deep breath I turned to Puck. His expression was stone cold, as if he knew what I was about to say. I stared deeply into his green eyes, breaking through his brave front. For a split second I could almost swear I saw his lower lip quiver. He stared at me with sad eyes, breaking my heart every second I stayed.

"Well," boomed the Erlking's voice, starling me. I jerked my chin in his direction and tensed. "What is your decision? You know the punishment for you will be the same as it was for the Prince of the Unseelie court. We will have no mercy on you, daughter." He looked down at me. He was about to make my decision for me, but before he could speak again I turned to Puck and pulled him into a hug. It seemed to have startled him. I almost smiled at the thought.

"Puck," I whispered as his arms wrapped around me tightly. I suddenly regretted hugging him, fearing he wouldn't let me go. "I have a plan, but you have to trust me," I said in a hushed tone, hoping Oberon would not hear me. He gave a final, painful squeeze and pulled back, half-grinning at me. I truly would miss him, but I figured if my plan failed, he would find me again somehow. He _was_ Robin Goodfellow after all.

"Sure thing, Princess. " he said, giving me a wink as I pulled away. I knew he would pull through for me. I gave him one final smile as I turned and ran toward the door, not knowing exactly what I was throwing myself into, though I had a pretty good idea. As soon as I stepped through the door the air of the city ascended upon my sense of smell and nearly over took me. I was a little light-headed at first, glancing around an unknown place. I had never been too keen on maps, but I was considering going to get one just to find my way back home. _Home_. Before I walked away, I familiar voice called out my name, reminding me why I was here.

"Meghan." he called, happily. I turned to see him standing behind me, leaning against a fence. He still had his cool persona, but his half smile told me he was relieved to see me. His black hair fell in front of his face as he pushed himself, almost lazily, from the fence. I walked over to him, ready to tell him how stupid he was being for doing this to himself. "You actually came through for me."

"No, Ash," I said, almost angrily. How could he have put up such a cold exterior and then at the most crucial moment admitted his feelings for me. My feelings for him faded at a long time ago, though he was still a friend. I did not love him, I never had, I only thought I did. Now we were both screwed. It was my fault, I assumed, since I didn't tell him sooner. Still yet, I had the feeling if I told him the truth now he would be angry and seek revenge on me and all of those I loved. He was in the human world now, _my_ world.

Suddenly I remembered that I had a family here. With all the drama in Faery, I never had a chance to think of them. Now I was really in a mess. If I told Ash how I felt, would he kill all of those I loved? Would he hurt my family to make me feel the worst kind of pain? I stood tall, pushing those thoughts out of my mind and inhaled. I looked at Ash. His expression was now a confused one. I couldn't tell him about my plan, now. What was I going to do? Puck couldn't save me now, so I had to wing it.

"I did not come back for you, Prince. I only came to tell you that you are foolish for falling in love with me. I am _not_ Ariella." I said defiantly. I almost expected some other fey to be around, using their wretched glamour on me after I said all that. But upon looking around I found no glamour. There wasn't a single fey in sight besides Ash and myself. There was a thug-ish looking guy about five yeards away and that was slightly unnerving.

"_What?_" he snapped, angrily at me. I looked at him with pity, but that soon turned to fear as I saw the angry expression on his almost flawless face. His diamond ear stud sparkled as he tightened his grip on his sword. "I know you are not Ariella. You never will be. You are Meghan Chase and I love _you_. Ariella is dead."

I must've hit home. Hard. He seemed to be beyond angry at me. I remembered her drawer in his room. I remembered his memory of her, how flawless she looked. She was so beautiful and it hurt me just remembering something like that. He was right. I _was_ Meghan chase, but he shouldn't have loved me. I loved the one who had gotten Ariella killed.

If Puck thought I was in too deep earlier, now it _really_ hit the fan.


	2. Unsure

Our footsteps hardly made any sound at all as we walk in silence. My mind was racing. Even though I was in the Nevernever, I still couldn't let go of my feelings of disbelief. I was such a skeptic, I almost didn't believe my best friend was even my best friend any more. As I thought back to what had happened today, I gazed up at the back of Rob's head. He wasn't Robbie anymore. He was seemingly taller. His hair was a myriad of reds and oranges. It was spike-y yet soft, like it was naturally that way. I wanted to make a joke about it.

I was a little uneasy following him, since he occasionally glanced over his shoulder at me, to see if I was still following. The way he looked at me from the corner of his eye startled me. There was an almost sinister aura around him. I half expected him to turn on me any minute and kill me where I stood. He must have sensed how uncomfortable I was. He whirled unexpectedly and crossed his arms over his chest.

I yelped and staggered backward. My eyes were so wide it hurt and my jaw clenched. At first his face was expressionless, like it had been on the bus ride home a few hours ago. Then he smirked and I saw the familiar Robbie again. I relaxed a little, but his grin suddenly turned into increasing laughter until he was doubling over, holding his gut. It scared me at first, thinking he had gone mad, but then I realized I must have looked terribly funny to him with my eyes bugging out of my head.

"Wow, Princess," he said, exhausted from laughing, "I swear you're going to be the death of us both." he said, taking on his casual stance. Hands in his pockets, he turned and walked again. "You act like I'm going to turn around and eat you, or something," he was smiling, I could feel it. I continued walking behind him as he spoke to me, glad I didn't have to talk (besides muttering a few curses under my breath here and there, threatening to hit him and what-not). "I'm the last thing you need to worry about here, Princess." His voice had an eerie edge to it. He gave me that creepy side glance again, but I tried keeping in mind that he was still my best friend. That didn't help me much.

"Well, do that again and you wont live to see the next thing that tries to attack us. With that said, there wouldn't be an us." I said in a hushed tone, angrily. I wasn't really mad, just a tad unnerved at his serious expression. "You scared me Rob- er, Puck." I said, catching myself. I had almsot forgotten he had said to call him Puck. I'm not sure when I stopped trusting him, but at least he was still like the Robbie I knew. There was just something unreasonable about all of this. Oh yeah, he was a _faery_. And I was in _his_ world now.

"Shh," he hushed, putting an arm in front of me to stop me moving onward. No chance of that, since I was still keeping my distance. "Something's coming, Princess." He became very still. I did as well, my mind trying to figure out what it could possibly be. Faeryland sounds so beautiful, until you actually step foot into it's ghastly forests. I hoped there was more beyond this forest, that there would somekind of place where there weren't trees. Here there were, according to Puck, horrid creatures that wanted to hurt you in the worst ways.

He sighed a curse and turned to me, his grin widening. His arms were once again crossed over his chest. I narrowed my gaze and stared at him, trying to figure out what he was thinking, when a thought struck me. He was going to kill me. Oh my God, here I was in a dark forest with a _faery_-thing that was supposedly my best friend, and he was going to rip me to shreds. I stood there, unmoving. My heart was thudding rapidly against my chest as I stared at him. He stood there, like he was mocking me. Growing impatient, I growled at him.

"For God's sake, what?" I asked, almost demanding an answer. If anyone could get on my nerves it was _him_. His look turned to one of utter shock. He looked like a scolded child for a second, almost making me feel bad for snapping like that. "I'm sorry, but if you heard something, shouldn't we book it?" As I looked at him, awaiting his answer, I remebered suddenly why we were here. _Ethan_. My little brother was trapped here in the Nevernever because some _stupid_ fey thought it would be hilarious to steal my brother and replace him with a demon. I _had_ to go into Faeryland and bring him back home.

Then I remembered Puck bringing me here, his concern for me, and him sticking with me through it all. A wave of guilt washed over me like a tidal wave. I looked at him, almost asking him to forgive me, but he spoke before I could open my mouth.

"Well, in most cases I would say yes, but your attitude is making me reconsider saving you. I could just high-tail it out of here and leave you, you know." he said, in a playful defensive mode. I crossed my arms and sighed, aggravated. "Fine, fine, Princess. Let's go." he said, giving me a devious grin. I knew he was up to something, but before I could speak a bright flash from _nowhere_ blinded me. The light faded as I struggled to keep from falling over. I had covered my eyes because they hurt so badly. As I removed my hands and looked around, spots were falling all over the place.

When my sight cleared up enough for me to see, I looked around. I saw nothing except a white horse, when it finally dawned on me. There was a _horse_ in front of me, but no Puck. I tried wrapping my mind around what had happened. There was a blinding white light, Puck disappeared, and there was a horse where he had been standing. _Oh, no. It killed him_.

"H-hi, horsey." I stammered, hoping it wouldn't attack me. It snorted and bobbed it's head, eyeing me like I was a plague. It obviously didn't want to touch me either. I called Puck's name and recieved no answer, besides an annoyed snort from the horse as it turned toward me. I jerked my torso toward it, and put up my fists. It didn't stop. "Don't come near me." I said, trying to seem intimidating. It wasn't working.

The horse rolled it's eyes and layed it's head on my shoulder. It stood there a moment, not moving. I didn't understand. If this horse ate my best friend or did away with him, why was it warming up to me? I remembered Puck saying that people here tell you beautiful lies, almost truthful, then they destroy you. I stepped away from the horse and thought a moment as it stepped toward me again. What if this horse was pretending to be nice and loving when all it really wanted was to kill me? What had it done with Puck?

Wait. It was a horse. There was no way Puck had been eaten. I should have heard him scream or something. He never struck me as the type to be destroyed by a horse. How in the world did this Faeryland work? I was starting to feel nautious, when I heard loud barking in the distance. The horse nudged my chin with it's nose. And I jerked my head backward, hitting a tree.

The horse snorted again, in my face this time. It seemed like it was in a hurry. The horse turned around and trotted to where puck was standing a good five feet away and layed down. The barking was growing louder and louder, becoming wicked and menacing. It was sounding like I would never make it out of here. With the thought of Ethan, I turned, leaving the horse behind. I ran as fast as I could in the direction Puck had been leading me. I looked back once, the horse standing angrily. I also caught a glimpse of something behind the horse.

I shot out of there as fast as my legs would carry me, but the horse was getting closer. I kept running until I felt the horse nipping at me from behind. Luckily up ahead, there was a tree branch hanging over the wide path. The tree branch wasn't so sturdy, but it was my only chance. As close as the horse was, I might be able to land on it's back. Hopefully those PE lessons were about to pay off.

I ran full speed ahead, knowing this was my only chance to get out of here. I heard the gallop of two horses now, and some sort of kanine creatures that were now only a few yards away. Adrenaline had kicked in by now and I leaped up frantically grabbing the branch. I pulled my knees up to my chest as the horse passed under, ducking. Not missing a beat, I let go of the tree branch and dropped onto the horse's back. I grabbed it's mane, hoping I didn't hurt it for a second. Then I remembered Puck.

The horse ran fast and my heart was beating out of my chest. I inhaled and exhaled deeply, wrapping my arms around the horse's neck tightly, so I didn't lose my seating. "Where's Puck?" I asked it, hoping it could talk. "Did you eat him?" I yelled again, so it could hear me. "I'm not letting go until you show me where Puck is!" I screamed. Suddenly the horse bucked and I lost my seating. I screamed when I went flying over the horse's head.

As I tumbled into bramble and bushes, an arrow zipped past my head and hit a tree, the base of which I was staring at. At first I was numb. Completely in shock. It hit me without warning and engulfed my body wholey. Pain shot through my spine and throughout the rest of my battered body, my breath knocked out of me. My mouth gaped and I lay still, trying to bring oxygen into my lungs. The dogs, rabid and hungry, thundered past me, following the white horse.

A black steed passed, but what rendered me speechless was the rider. A Beautiful young man, not much older than myself with swirling silver eyes, was following the white horse. He had glanced at me, but didn't stop. When he passed I stood up, my breath returning slowly as I thought of the handsome man. It sent a sliver of excitement straight through me. He was so beautiful and he looked_ right _at me. I almost couldn't believe how beautiful he was, like he wasn't even real, but the feeling faded away as did the sound of the recent chase. I stood there recollecting the recent event that left me out of breath and without a friend. What had just happened?

As I stood there, devastated at the loss of my friend, I realized I was alone. I started to dry heave, panicking. Was Puck really gone? How was I going to find Ethan? My best friend was gone, possibly dead, and it was my fault. If I had stayed he wouldn't be gone. Still yet, Ethan was here and, though it hurt, I had to find him. There was no way out now, anyway. And I wasn't about to die.

Determined and in tears, I set off on my own. It was okay to cry, but it was not okay to doubt myself and I could _not_ give up.


	3. Summing Up the Past Few Days

**AN**; _As you have hopefully noticed by now, the last chapter was completely different from the story. It's intended to be that way. As I was typing the last chapter and completely forget to describe the expression on Ash's face when he had seen Meghan. I guess you all know by now that he is emotionless and has a cold aura. I also did not mention her remembering him, but I was under the influence that Robbie wiped it from her memory on the school bus. On that note, there will be romance with Ash and Meghan, but she and Puck definitely will be the main couple of our story._

I stood there a few minutes, afraid to move, not knowing where to go. I imagined someone trying to kill me, I imagined giant spiders, and I imagined Puck coming back for me. My train of thought was de-railed by a mono-tone voice coming from somewhere close by.

"Excuse me," the voice said lazily, "You are standing in my home." I looked all around me, but found no one. As I scanned the area, I came to the realization that I was, in fact, standing in a nest made of twigs and lush leaves. I heard a low growl and jerked my chin upward, spotting who it was that lived here.

Perched comfortably on a branch in a small tree above me, was a cat. He was gray with darker gray stripes across his back, his eyes an ominous yellow color. His fur was very fluffy, but he didn't appear to be fat or lazy. He looked like something you would see in Alice in Wonderland, except he wasn't smiling. Instead his eyes were squinted at me and he was flicking his long tail, which was rather un-fluffy.

"Hello?" I said to him, almost in shock that a cat could talk to me. I remembered Puck telling me this place was not safe and unlike the real world. It was suddenly no big deal that a cat could speak. "I'm sorry, but I'm in a hurry." I gushed. He began licking his paw as if to brush me off. "Can you help me?"

"Why, pathetic human, would _I_ help someone as clumsy as yourself?" he asked. I felt a wave of panic at this dismisal. I looked up at him with teary eyes as he leaped from the branch. He leaped to the ground and my eyes followed him.

"Please? I'll do anything. I'll give you anything you want, but I'm in desperate need to find my friend." I pleaded, sincere in my offer.

"If I help you find your Puck, you will owe me a favor." he said, sitting on his leaves and twigs, wrapping his tail around his paws. I caught if a hint of something ghastly in his tone, but pushed it aside. I had no time to waste now. "Do we have a deal, human girl?" he asked.

"Deal," I promised,not knowing what I was getting myself into. "I have to find Puck so I can save my brother." I said, relief flowing through me.

"I told you I would help you find your _Puck_, not your brother." he said, standing with a final flick of his tail. He trotted off, looking back at me. I followed him, unhesitant about it. He disappeared in a few moments, without warning. I panicked and looked around, calling out 'kitty, kitty' before he reappeared in front of me, scolding me for calling hit such a human name and that his name is Grimalkin.

The journey was long and dangerous. I was very tired from walking, but did _not_ stop to rest. I simply wanted out of here and I was trusting a cat, a cait sith, to be my guide. The cunning thing already got a favor from me and I was beginning to worry about that as we continued along.

Along the way I had been kidnapped by goblins and had to use my cunning wit to escape them, barely. That was the second most horrifying thing that had happened to me since entering the Nevernever, the first being my entire adventure with Puck. I still had no idea where he had gone. At the time, I didn't care. I had witnessed a piskie's unfortunate death due to me. If not for Grimalkin I would be toast. Make that 'roast', considering they were going to cook me and ... God knows what else. I assumed they would eat me, but then again, this _was_ the most disgusting place to ever exist.

I came to that conclusion as I tumbled through the water, trying not to drown and die. I had to fight for my life, flailing about, almost drowning. Then I saw a water-horse-thing and it was pissed. It followed me, casing me to nearly go into cardiac arrest. Luckily a nixie saved me, but Grim had to save me from _her_ once I was on the other side of the river, since she was also an evil being who wanted to sing to me to lure me back into the water. Why hadn't Puck mentioned this earlier? Oh yeah, he _ditched_ me.

Poison from a goblin's arrow, _Dreamlace venom_, Grimalkin had called it, had knocked me unconscious after I had escaped the nixie. All the beautiful colors of the place I had just reached, only to have Grimalkin disappear after making me walk all that way, swirled together and before I fainted, I saw a horse-like muzzle in my face saying that he saved me and Grim's next call for him would be his last.

Luckily, I wasn't dying. I woke up and followed Grim some more until I reached Heaven (or so it seemed to me, the beauty of it all was too unreal). The Seelie, or Summer, Court. I gaped in awe at the magical wonderland where Puck lived. I wondered why he would leave such a place. Then I remembered that he had been keeping secrets from me. This place, his _real_ identity, and everything else I was about to discover - on my own, no thanks to him.

For some reason, my heart broke a little every time I thought about him. He was the same as Robbie, my best friend and, apparently, my guardian. Then again, he _wanted_ to keep everything a secret. He didn't want me to know about any of this. I couldn't blame him. I f I lived here, I don't know if I would tell Robbie, considering his nature (and I didn't know he was Puck before). His grin flashed through my mind as a knight let me down from his horse.

Later on I met Tansy, a sweet satyr girl. She was very timid. Puck had implied that satyrs are rapists, but there was nothing at _all_ intimidating or sexual about this satyr. Maybe he had an unfortunate encounter...

_Tch. Yeah, right. _Puck isn't the type to let someone push him around like that - or was he? I didn't know anymore. For some reason, I always pictured Robbie as the kind of guy who would cause an attacker to laugh to death. But, Puck was different. Puck was serious occasionally, and he had been a complete jerk to me since I got here, keeping his distance. I did the same, but I was still Meghan. He wasn't still Robbie, _was he_?

After a breif tour of the Summer Court with Tansy, I met Oberon and Titania. They were godly and majestic. Titania was an absolute hag to me, punishing me to do kitchen duty with 10 feet tall trolls who _hated_ me. I hardly ever got a break. Puck crossed my mind often. I kpet remembering the day in the Nevernever, where a horse had mysteriously taken the place of my friend.

I cooked and cleaned, I swept and mopped, and I even cried until Oberon came into the kitchen and took me back, by now I knew he was my _real_ father. I was still bothered by that fact. Then I was also bothered that Puck hadn't bothered telling me _that_ either. The longer it took to find him, the angrier I became. _Stupid Puck_.

Next thing I knew, a spider-like woman was making me a dress for this huge event I had never heard about. Elysium.

**AN2**; _The next chapter will be full of detail and describe Elysium very well, I swear it! I just had to get all of this out of the way, Meghan's thoughts thrown in here and there. Starting in Chapter four, this story will get better and better._


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